Bontrager components are almost
synonymous with Trek bicycles; however,
the Bontrager brand has a rich history
dating back to the early ’80s. The founder,
Keith Bontrager, is famous for his aphorism, “strong, light or cheap; pick two.”
In the beginning, Keith would hunt for old
broken bike parts so he could reverse-engineer them and find ways to make them
better. He quickly developed a reputation
for building strong and light bicycle
parts that were well worth their cost.
Years later, Trek bought Bontrager
and began incorporating Keith’s parts
on its bikes. Today, most of Trek’s bikes
are outfitted head to toe with Bontrager
products.

Tech Features: The Drop Line post
from Bontrager is an internally routed
dropper seatpost perfect for riders from
many different disciplines. It comes with
an ergonomic under-bar remote, or a rider
can purchase an above-bar remote for
$22 so that the post can be used with
two- and three-ring drivetrains. The Drop
Line is deigned to fit into a seat tube with
a 31.6-millimeter diameter and comes in
three different travel options: 100, 125
(tested) and 150 millimeters. The post has
a keyed chassis to prevent rotation and
uses a two-bolt rocker head with micro
adjustments so riders can easily dial in
their saddle tilt. The Drop Line uses a
cable to actuate its air-sprung hydraulic
cartridge, which provides riders with infinite
adjustability. Our test post weighed in at
412 grams, and sells for $300. You can
purchase one at any Trek dealer.

Field Test Results: Bontrager’s Drop
Line comes ready to be installed with
cable, housing and a remote that mounts
under the handlebars. Riders with dual- or
triple-ring setups will need to purchase

Bontrager’s universal lever separately.Installing the post was fairly straightfor-ward after we internally routed the housingthrough our frame. It’s important to notethat not all bikes have routing for internaldroppers, but if your bike is only a fewyears old, youare likely goodto go. The DropLine cable is actuallyrouted backwards, meaningthe cable is clamped at theremote instead of at the post. Thisdesign allows riders to easily removeand reinstall the post. Out on the trails,the post operated well in ideal condi-tions and warmer weather. Some of ourtest riders had issues on cold rides thatresulted in the post not returning properly.Our test riders were happy with the returnspeed of the post and found that dialingin saddle tilt was easy. The Drop Line onlycomes in a 31.6-millimeter diameter, andriders with more than one chainring areforced to purchase an additional remote.But, if the post will work for your bike, thenwe think it’s a good option at a fair price. ❏